Lunar and Planetary Institute
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Mars Program Office
International Space Science Institute
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF Davos
European Space Agency

CONVENERS 

Stephen Clifford,Lunar and Planetary Institute
Walter Ammann,Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
Kathryn Fishbaugh,International Space Science Institute
David Fisher,Geological Survey of Canada
James Head III,Brown University

SCIENCE ORGANIZINGCOMMITTEE 

TERRESTRIAL MEMBERS 
Nobuhiko Azuma,Nagaoka University of Technology
Christine Hvidberg,University of Copenhagen
Dorthe Dahl-Jensen,University of Copenhagen
Bernard Schmidt, Laboratorie de Planétologie de Grenoble
Lonnie Thompson,Byrd Polar Research Center
Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson,National Energy Authority and University of Iceland
Eske Willerslev,University of Copenhagen

The response to the call for abstracts for the conference has been excellent. However, due
to the combination of the large number of submitted abstracts, an unexpectedly high
percentage of requested orals, and our desire to preserve significant amount of time for
discussion and debate, it was necessary to limit the number of oral presentations to about
one-half of those requested. Selections were made to minimize duplication and maximize
the diversity of views presented at the meeting. The resulting program (consisting of
a mix of invited and contributed talks, panel discussions, poster presentations, several
special sessions, a field trip, and a variety of social events) represents our best effort to
balance the time available for discussion with the opportunities for individual
participation.

In light of the above, we are placing a much greater emphasis on the poster sessions
scheduled for Monday and Tuesday nights, combining them with evening socials that
should greatly enhance the opportunities for interaction among the conference
participants. In addition, all posters will remain on display throughout the duration of the
meeting (additional details regarding poster preparation and these sessions are described
later in this announcement).

If you are planning to attend the meeting, we ask that you register and reserve your room
as soon as possible. Conference attendance and hotel rooms are limited and will be
awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will also ensure that you will
receive any reminders and late-breaking announcements related to the meeting via e-mail.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The Fourth International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration
is the latest in a continuing series of meetings intended to promote the
exchange of knowledge and ideas between planetary and terrestrial
scientists interested in Mars polar and climate research. In recognition
of the broad scope, interdisciplinary nature, and strong international
interest in this topic, the participation of any interested scientist
with relevant theoretical, experimental, or polar field experience is
strongly encouraged.

The purpose of the conference is to assess the current state of Mars
polar and climate research; discuss what might be learned from
investigations of terrestrial analogs and the data returned from current
and future missions; and identify the potential science objectives,
platform options, and instrument suites for robotic missions to the
martian poles within the next decade. This meeting is also intended to
advance such missions and to serve as an important resource for those
scientists wishing to develop instruments, propose spacecraft, or
participate as a member of a science team in response to any future
Announcement of Opportunity.

KEY POINTS:Date: October 26, 2006
Location: Davos, Switzerland

TIME AND LOCATION

This five-day meeting will be held from October 26, 2006, at the Davos
Congress Center in Davos, Switzerland (the site of the 2006 World Economic
Forum, see www.davos2006.ch). Davos was chosen as the site of the fourth
conference because it is the home of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (one of the world's leading centers for
snow, ice, and cold climate research) and is readily accessible to Europe's planetary, polar, and glacial
science communities. Furthermore, the Alps provide numerous
opportunities for spectacular alpine field trips of interest to both planetary
and terrestrial scientists.

To take full advantage of the opportunities the Davos area provides, the
conference technical sessions will be held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and
Friday, with optional field trips to local sites of geologic and glacial
interest on Wednesday. The meeting will be held in the Aspen Room, which is located in Wing
C, Promenade Level of the Congress Center.

Contributed oral presentations are scheduled to allow 10 minutes for speaking and 5
minutes for discussion. Invited presentations vary in length and speakers should plan
their talks to conform to the times specified in the program. Audio-visual equipment
available for oral presentations includes two overhead projectors and a laptop PC with an
LCD projector. Dual projection will NOT be available for electronic presentations. Please
read carefully the instructions for electronic presentations.

All speakers with electronic presentations must upload their presentations onto the
conference laptop before the beginning of the session -- USE OF PERSONAL LAPTOPS
FOR PRESENTATIONS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED. To ensure sufficient time for
uploading your presentation, morning presenters are urged to contact the projectionist and
upload their files the day before. For those who have presentations scheduled for Monday
morning, the conference laptop will be available for uploads Sunday evening at the
registration desk from 6:008:30 p.m. in front of the
Aspen Room at the Congress Center.

Poster presentations will be on display throughout the entire week of the conference.
Posters may be installed beginning on Monday morning, October 2, at 7:30
a.m. and may remain up through Friday noon. Poster display space available to authors is
119 cm (width) × 84 cm (height) or ~48.85" × 33". Posters will be on display in
Foyer C2.

ABSTRACT VOLUME

The abstract volume will be in CD-ROM format and distributed to the participants
at the conference. You can view the program with abstracts or download abstracts in
alphabetical order. Author notification letters will NOT
be mailed out, so authors will need to check the online program to see where their presentation has been scheduled.

TRAVEL TO DAVOS, SWITZERLAND

To get to Davos, the cheapest and easiest way is usually to fly
into Zürich and take the train from the Zürich airport train station. (Follow the
signs for the Exit and the Railbahn.) The train ride takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes
and requires two train changes, one at the Zürich main/central station
(Zürich Hauptbahnhof) and one at Landquart (a small town). The train
conductor, who checks your ticket, will usually remind you where you
should get off and change. As elsewhere in Europe, check the yellow
posters in the train stations to find out from which track your next
train will leave. You usually have at least five minutes to change
trains. Unless it is late at night, upcoming train stops are always
announced in German, French, and English.

A second-class, round-trip ticket between Zürich and Davos costs about
100 CHF (approximately $83). You can buy this ticket from a ticket
window during regular business hours. You can also buy it from blue
automats (ticket machines) using an ATM or credit card that has a
pincode. These machines operate in several languages. When asked to choose
the type of ticket ("1/2" or "1/1"), select "1/1" since
the other option is for individuals with special discount cards. (Sometimes
you can buy the ticket on the train, but there is usually an extra
fee involved.)

When arriving in Davos, there are several possible stations from which to choose,
but the two main stations are Davos Dorf and Davos Platz. You may
also want to ask your hotel at the time of booking which train station
is closest to the hotel.

If you are planning to take some extra time for vacationing in
Switzerland, either before or after the meeting, it may be a good idea
to buy a "Swiss Card" from the ticket window at the Zürich airport train
station (or whichever Swiss station from which you start). The "Swiss Card"
costs 100 CHF, but allows you to buy all train tickets for half price for
up to one month after the card is purchased. Once you have this card,
you can select the "1/2" option at the ticket automats.

Because buses and trains will take you almost any place in Switzerland,
a rental car is often unnecessary.

While specific instructions can be obtained from your hotel, you can
usually take a taxi to any hotel from the main Davos train stations
(Davos Dorf and Davos Platz). However, because Davos is a small town, you may
have to look for the taxi call phone and order a taxi that way.

It is best to try to arrive in Davos before evening since it is not
guaranteed that a taxi will be available at very late hours of the night,
and buses in small mountain towns sometimes stop running in the early
evenings. Also, many restaurants will stop serving dinner at ~22.00, and
groceries, kiosks, etc., will likely be closed by 18.30.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Davos Tourism has made arrangements for a wide range of hotel
accommodations for conference participants, including low-cost rooms for students and a broad
range of rooms for individual participants and those who are bringing their spouse. Note that
breakfast is included in the daily rate (per individual) for all hotels. Note also that the
term half-board also adds dinner (but not lunch). Since
there will be refreshments served during the poster sessions Monday
and Tuesday night, and the conference dinner is Thursday, the standard
individual hotel rate is probably the best option for most attendees.
Hotel reservations can be made at
https://formular.beagthusis.ch/10a/10_1038.asp.

Public transportation is very good in Davos, with most hotels located
within a five-minute bus ride from the Congress Centre; some hotels
are located within walking distance of the Centre. City maps of Davos,
including bus stops, can be found at
www.davos.ch/town-maps-001-0307-en.htm.

FIELD TRIP

On Wednesday, October 4, in place of the regular conference
technical sessions, there will be an all-day mid-conference field trip, the
cost of which is included in the conference registration fee. This one-day
excursion will take us to Flüelapass above Davos, one of the most
important passes connecting the Northern Swiss Alps to the Engadin
Valley.

The highlight of the excursion will be the viewing of an azonal
permafrost occurrence at Flüelapass and the management of natural
hazards such as avalanches, debris flows, and rock falls. Phenomena
such as the distribution of permafrost adjacent to a warm lake, its
effect on vegetation distribution, and interesting occurrences of snow
algae will be seen.

Recommended clothing: Because the weather can be quite cool at the
Flüelapass, field trip participants should be sure to bring a warm
sweater or fleece jacket, with a wind- and water-resistant shell. Hiking
boots (or other firm footwear) will also be required. Participants
might also wish to bring anything else they would like to have with
them during these short hikes (e.g., extra snacks, water bottle, hat,
and sunscreen).

REGISTRATION

The early registration deadline is Friday, September 1, 2006.
Until that date the registration fee will be $300.00 (375 CHF) for both
professional participants and students. After September 1, the
registration fee increases to $375.00 (470 CHF) for professional
conference participants, although it will remain $300.00 (375 CHF) for
students. Registration for accompanying individuals (e.g., spouses) is
$90.00 (115 CHF), both before and after September 1. Participants may
register for the meeting by submitting the
electronic registration form. The cut-off for online registration is Sunday, September 17, 2006. After that date,
late registration will be held on site at the meeting on a space-available basis.

All registration fees cover attendance at the meeting, the Monday and
Tuesday evening poster sessions (which include refreshments), and
participation in the Wednesday field trip (which includes a box lunch).

Tickets for the conference dinner, which will be held Thursday
evening, are $60.00 (75 CHF) per person.

Please note: Although the above prices are listed in U.S. dollars,
actual payment must be made in Swiss Francs (CHF); some credit card companies may assess a small additional currency exchange fee.

Special note for U.S. students who have applied for NASA travel
assistance:Students who are applying for travel assistance should not
pay the registration fee until they either (1) have been notified that
they have not received an award or (2) have been notified that they
have received an award and have successfully completed NASA's foreign
travel approval process. Students receiving support who pay their
registration fee before they have completed NASA's foreign travel
approval process will NOT be reimbursed.